1 Balloon Fish

Balloon fish are known for their unique shape. They can vary from tan to light brown with dark brown blotches all over their body. You can identify them by a characteristic brown patch above and below their eye. They live near coral reefs, muddy and sandy areas. They eat sea urchins, crabs and snails.

Did you know they can expand their body 3 times the normal size?

Papiamento - Djindja

Banded Butterfly Fish 2

Butterfly fish have a discus shaped body. They can be identified by two wide black mid-body stripes. They can be found near coral reefs. These fishes feed on worms, plankton and are also know to clean other fish for their food.

Papiamento - Makamba Marinir

Did you know there are over 113 species of butterfly fish?

3 Bar Jack

You can recognize a bar jack by a bright blue and black stripe that runs along its dorsal fin and onto its lower tail. Bar jacks can be found alone or in groups near coral reefs. They are known to feed on shrimps and small fish.

Did you know they can change from sliver to black when eating?

Papiamento - Yaru

Barred Hamlet 4

Barred hamlets can be identified by the six brown bars across their body. You can find them near coral reefs. They spend most of their time hunting on shrimp, crabs and fishes

Papiamento - Kakubol

Did you know barred hamlets only live in the Caribbean?

5 Blackbar Soldier Fish

The blackbar soldier fish has a red to silvery color with a dark red bar behind the head area. They are usually seen at night above corals. During the day they hide between corals and caves. They feed on shrimps and crabs.

Did you know they’re famous for making grunting sounds?

Papiamento - Wowi Boyo

Black Durgon 6

Black Durgon

Black Durgon is a green-black color fish with purple overtones. They can be identified by blue lines that run along the base of their fins. They can be found around sea grass and corals. They feed on algae.

Did you know they change colors based on their surroundings?

Papiamento - Doro

7 Blue Chromis

The blue Chromis can be identified by its brilliant blue color. You can also notice them by their rear fins ending in a sharp point. They feed on algae and fish eggs that fail to hatch. You can find them near corals reefs.

Did you know they can detect movements in the oceans currents?

Papiamento - Stelchi Blauw

Bluehead 8

The Bluehead can be distinguished by their blue head, followed by two dark bars separated by a white bar. They form large schools near coral reefs.

Did you know they are important, because they clean other fish?

Papiamento - Pepchi Blauw

9 Blue Parrot Fish

Parrot fish owe their name to the shape of their mouth. Instead of teeth they have two beaks like plates just like parrots. They can be from powder light to deep blue color. They use their beaks to scrape algae from corals reefs.

You can hear them scrape and break the algae while snorkeling.

Papiamento - Gutu Blauw

Blue Striped Grunt 10

You can recognize a blue stripe grunt by the blue horizontal stripes over their yellow-gold body. They got their name by the grunting sound they make by grinding their teeth. They live near sea grass bed and corals.

Papiamento - Korko

Blue Tang Fish 11

The term tang refers to the sharp spines on each side of their tails. They can be identified by their blue to deep purple bodies. They form larger groups near coral reefs. They feed on algae that grow on coral reefs.

Did you know blue tangs change color as they mature?

Papiamento - Kleinfeshi Blauw

Coral Crab 12

The coral crab is one of the most beautiful crabs in Aruba. They have a pale to brick red color with scarlet spots and lines of small white spots. They can be found on coral reefs or on rocks near the shore.

Coral crabs help maintain of a healthy ecosystem.

Papiamento - Cangrew

13 Cushion Sea Star

Cushion sea stars have a unique shape. Young sea stars can be olive green and later change to brown or orange. They have short spines that form a net like pattern. You can find them near sandy bottoms.

Papiamento - Strea Di Lama

Did you know sea stars are not always shaped in a star?

Four Eye Butterfly Fish 14

Four eye butterfly fishes are common in Aruba. They can be recognized by their silver-gray body with numerous dark thin lines from the mid-body. On the rear base of their tail they have a black spot ringed in white. You can find them near coral reefs. They feed on worms, crabs and insects.

Did you know predators think the black spot on their tail is an eye?

Papiamento - Makamba

15 French Angel Fish

You can recognize a French angel fish by its disk shaped body. They’re black with bright yellow rims on their scales. They can be found around shallow water near coral reefs. They feed on sponges and algae.

Did you know the French angel fish can live up to 15 years?

Papiamento - Sheu

French Grunt Fish 16

French grunts can be recognized by the yellow stripes on their body. They can be found on shallow parts of coral reefs. They appear in a large school.

Did you know they make grunting sounds by grinding their teeth?

Papiamento - Robeki

17 Glass Eye Snapper

Glass eye snappers can be recognized by their red to silvery color. They have characteristic silver bars on their back. You can find them near coral reefs. They feed on octopus, shrimp, crabs and other small fish.

Did you know they can change colors when sleeping?

Papiamento -Kandelchi Stinkie 18 Graysby

You can recognize a graysby by the orange spots on its body. They can be found around sea grass beds and coral reefs. They are known to hide during the day. They feed on fish and shrimp at night.

Did you know they can change up to five contrasting colors?

Papiamento - Purunchi

19 Great Barracuda

Barracudas have a characteristic long silvery cylindrical body with dark blotches scattered on its lower side. They can be found near the surface among mangroves and the open sea. They feed on other fish and shrimps.

Did you know barracudas are known as the tigers of the sea?

Papiamento - Piku

Green Moray Eel 20

Green moray eels can be identified by their long green snake like body. They live in clear water reefs. They are known to hide during the day with their heads extended from openings. They feed on fish, squid and shrimp.

Did you know they don’t hunt for food, but wait for food to come?

Papiamento - Congla

Hawksbill Turtle 21

Turtles are popular in Aruba. They can be found near deeper parts of reefs. Hawksbill turtle feed on plants, sea urchins, fish, jelly fish and algae.

Males rarely return to land after crawling into the sea as hatchlings.

Papiamento- Tortuga

Honeycomb Cowfish 22

You can recognize them by their triangular body covered with honey comb patterns. They live near coral reefs. They feed on sponges and shrimps.

When threatened they can inflate their body twice the normal size.

Papiamento -Chupa Chupa

23 Horse Eye Jack

Horse eye jacks have a characteristic silvery body with a yellow tail. You can find them near shores of beaches and mud bottoms. They are known to feed on small fishes and shrimps.

Did you know they are not afraid to approach you while snorkeling?

Papiamento - Korkoba Blanco

Lion Fish 24

Lion fish are well known for their venomous spines and unique tentacles. They can be found around the edges of reefs, near corals and in lagoons. They feed mostly on small fish.

They eat members of the same species when food is scarce.

Papiamento - Lion Fish

25 Long Spine Squirrel Fish

You can spot a long spine squirrel fish by their large eyes and silver to red body with gold stripes. They hide near dark places. They feed on crabs, shrimps and brittle sea stars.

They make grunting sounds when protecting their territory.

Papiamento - Kandelchi

Octopus 26

Octopuses are popular animals and can be recognized by their tentacles. An octopus can have different colors and textures. They live around reefs and hide between corals. They feed on fish, crabs and clams.

Did you know they are known to turn white when they’re disturbed?

Papiamento - Sekat

27 Palometa

The palometa is best recognized by its elongated fins and four vertical bars around the side of its body. They can be seen around sandy shores and in schools near coral reefs. They feed on worms and small fishes.

Did you know they are ready to strike with small artificial lures?

Papiamento - Pampano

Princess Parrot Fish 28

They make slimy bubbles for protection against predators.

Papiamento - Gutu Rabi Gai

29 Queen Angel Fish

The queen angel fish can be identified by its flat blue to green color with yellow rims on their scales. They can be found near coral reefs. They feed on sponges and parasites that are on bodies from other fishes.

Did you know they spend a lifetime with only one mate?

Papiamento - Rey Di Chamba

Queen Conch 30

The queen conch is the largest of the conches. The outer surface of the shell is orange. The animal living in it has a gray color with two eyestalks. When disturbed it retreats into the shell closing the opening.

Did you know the queen conch is a large edible sea snail?

Papiamento - Karko

31 Queen Trigger Fish

The queen trigger fish can be recognized by its oval shape and large fins. They have a blue color on their back and orange to yellow on the lower part of their head. They can be found near coral reefs feeding on sea urchins.

They are infamous for biting snorkelers who intrude their space.

Papiamento - Pishi Porko Rabi Gai

Red Hind 32

The red hind fish has characteristic red spots on its body. They have five diagonal bars formed by darker spots on their side. They can be found near coral reefs and rocky bottoms. They feed on crabs, fish and octopus.

The red hind fish can be easily approached when snorkeling.

Papiamento - Gatu Kora

33 Rock Beauty

Rock beauties have a characteristic flat and oval body. Their head and rear fin are yellow and the remaining part of their body is black. They can be seen near or between coral reefs. They clean other fish to get food.

They are known to be monogamous fish and form long lasting pairs.

Papiamento - Ladronchi Grandi

Sand Diver 34 44

Sand divers can be recognized by their elongated shape and bands across their body. They can be found near sandy bottoms. They eat smaller fish.

They have an ability to dive and bury their selves in the sand.

Papiamento – Yuana Di Awa

35 Schoolmaster

The schoolmaster fish has a characteristic silver body with yellow fins. They can be around coral reefs, sand bottoms, sea grass beds and mud bottoms. They feed on fish, shrimps, crabs and worms.

They feed at night and require rejuvenation during the day.

Papiamento - Hedo

Sea Fan 36

The sea fan is a fan shaped creature. Its outline is an interconnected network of thin branches. They vary from the color purple, yellow or brown. You can find them all over coral reefs when snorkeling.

Did you know there are more than 500 species of sea fans?

Papiamento - Wampanaria

37 Sea Horse

Sea horses can be recognized by their horse like figure and trumpet like snout. Sea horses can vary from yellow to orange and brown to black. They can be found near sea grass and coral reefs. They eat crabs, shrimp and crayfish.

Papiamento - Kabai Di Awa

Did you know they avoid predators by mimicking the color of plants?

Sergeant Major 38

Sergeant majors can be recognized by their upper yellow body with five black bars on the side of their body. You can find them around reefs. They feed on algae, fish and various larvae.

They can be found in schools of more than several hundred fishes.

Papiamento - Kataboli

39 Sharpnose Puffer

Sharpnose puffers can be recognized by their pointed nose. They have blue lines and dot markings over their head and body. They can be found around coral reefs and sea grass beds. They feed on sea grass.

Papiamento - Blass

Did you know there are over a 100 species of puffer fish?

40 Smooth Trunk Fish

You can spot a smooth trunk fish by their dark triangular body with white spots. They also have an area with honeycomb marking on their mid body. You can see them around coral reefs. They feed on worms and sponges.

They blow jets of water at the sea floor to uncover organism to eat.

Papiamento - Kahi Morto

41 Southern Stingray 1

Southern stingrays have a disk like shape. They have a whip like tail with two venomous spines at the base. You can find them near the bottom of reefs covered in sand. They feed on worms, shrimp, crabs and fishes.

Their teeth can be compared to crushing plates.

Papiamento - Chucho

Spanish Hog 42 Fish

This fish can be spotted by its purple and yellow color. You can find them near coral reefs. They remove parasites from other fishes as food.

Did you know they will bury their selves during the night?

Papiamento - Djenti Kacho

43 Spotfin Butterfly Fish

Spotfin butterfly fish have silver to white round body. Their eyes are concealed by a dark bar on their head. Their rear fins are brightly yellow colored with a black dot. They live near coral reefs.

They are known to occasionally swim upside down.

Papiamento - Chamba Blanko Spotted Drum 44

Spotted drums haveFish a unique shape and color pattern. You can find them around ledges and openings near small caves. They feed at night on crabs, shrimp and worms.

Papiamento - Rey Di Laman

They are named after a drumming sound they make by breathing?

Spotted Goat Fish 45

You recognize a spotted goat fish by the three black botches on their body. You can find them near sand or rock bottoms and near reef or sea grass. They feed on small fishes.

They are known to let other fish or shrimp clean their body.

Papiamento - Barbie Di Santo

Spotted Moray Eel 46

Spotted moray eels have a long snake like body. They are white with dark spots. They can be found around reefs and sea grass beds. They hide during the day and extend their head from openings. They feed on fish.

Did you know they spend most of their lives hidden in caves?

Papiamento - Congla

47 Spotted Trunk Fish

Spotted trunk fish can be identified by their triangular body. They are white with numerous black dots. They can be found swimming around corals reefs and sometimes under ledges or small holes. They feed on plants and algae.

They have the ability to release a poison that kills their prey.

Papiamento - Chapin

Tarpon 48

You can recognize a tarpon by its shiny scales and distinctive lines on its body. You can find them near mangroves and lagoons. They are known to feed on fish and crabs.

The oldest tarpon in captivity lived to be 63 years old.

Papiamento - Sabalo

49 Tiger Grouper = 9

The tiger grouper fish can be spotted by the 9 to10 narrow lines across their body. You can find them near coral reefs and rocky areas.

They feed on fish by drawing them into their gullets by suction.

Papiamento - Kashu Kutu

Tobacco Fish 50

Tobacco fish can be identified by the orange lateral stripe on their body. You can find them near bottom of coral reefs. They feed on snails and worms.

Did you know they will eat just about anything that fits in their mouth?

Papiamento - Pisca Di Oro

51 Trumpet Fish

Trumpet fishes have a characteristic long body with a trumpet like mouth. They can have many body colors from brown to red, but also blue to bright yellow. You can spot them around coral reefs. They feed on small fish.

Did you know they find mates by changing colors?

Papiamento - Trompet

White Spotted File Fish 52

You can spot them by the white spots all over their body. You can find them near coral reefs and rocky bottoms. They feed on algae growing on corals.

Did you know their skin feels like sandpaper?

Papiamento - Pishiporko

53 Yellow Head Wrasse

The yellow head wrasse got its name from its yellow head. Halfway along the yellow head wrasse body there is a black cross. You can find them near shallow water or where coral grows. They are known to feed on worms.

They are known to be the first to go to sleep and the last to rise.

Papiamento - Pepchi Pinta

Yellow Tail Snapper 54

Yellow tail snappers can be identified by a yellow line running from the snout to the tail. You can find them near coral reefs. They feed mainly at night on fish, worms and plankton.

Yellow tail snappers are not shy to approach you.

Papiamento - Gristelchi